Enslaved
by Shadenight123
Summary: Hiraga Saito is a fleshed out character. Louise Françoise isn't happily whipping people. The summoning ritual does precisely what it says on the tin, summoning creature to be branded and then enslaved by the influence of the mark. There is nothing happy about it. Familiar of Zero, with 'For The Laughs' removed. How bleak are things, really?
1. Familiar

**Enslaved**

**Chapter One**

Hiraga Saito made a mistake, one that would forever haunt him, until his last dying breath. He felt the dirt beneath his palms press against his skin. He smelled the fresh air of the countryside, the cool breeze of spring filled his lungs. Foreigners looked at him with laughing faces, while two others —a girl with pink hair and an old, bald man with a staff in his hands— seemed to be discussing heatedly.

He couldn't hear what they were saying, but the language felt familiar enough. He heard words like 'Sacred ritual' and 'complete it, Miss Valliére'. He didn't understand.

He was afraid. It was a normal reaction. He had been walking along the street, minding his own business, thinking about dinner. Suddenly his vision filled with green. The next moment he was there, in a strange place surrounded by tall white walls and towers.

How had he gotten there?

The girl moved closer, her displeasure clearly etched on her face.

He had made a mistake. There was no other reason. Maybe he had offended some God or something similar, because instead of refusing, instead of demanding answers, he had remained quiet.

That had been his mistake.

"You should count yourself lucky."

From that moment forward, he did not count himself _lucky_.

He counted himself _cursed_.

The kiss felt soft, the words she spoke meant nothing to his ears but the kiss, at least, was nice.

The pain that came afterwards wasn't. His entire body heated up, before on the back of his left hand strange letters began to appear, etched on his very skin. The pain passed quickly, but the questions in his mind doubled.

"What is this?" he asked, throat suddenly parched and dry. "What is this!" he exclaimed, holding his left hand with his right by the wrist.

"Shut up, is that the way a commoner should speak to a noble? You should feel grateful," the girl said, before standing up and dusting away the dirt from her knees. The bald man walked forward then, eying his left hand for a moment before nodding.

"Very well, it appears the _Contract Servant_ spell has been done properly."

"What? What is this Contract Servant thing?" Saito asked, but the man ignored him. Completely.

The middle-aged man with the staff turned to his students, and then said, deaf to Saito's pleading voice. "Let us return to class then."

With that, the professor and the students walked into the tower, the strange beasts following them one after the other.

He remained behind, dumbfounded.

"Well?" the girl said, tapping her right foot on the ground with her hands on her hips. "You're going to stand up any time soon, commoner?"

"Where am I?" he asked then, his voice quietly coming out as a whisper. "What is this place?"

"This is Tristain's Academy of Magic, Commoner. A place the likes of which you would never see in a lifetime. You should count yourself lucky to be summoned in my service as a servant!"

"Tristain?"

The girl huffed, displeasure evident on her face. "Stand up now, commoner! I won't be late for class because of you," she looked at his clothes. "And what's up with those clothes? Really, commoners' tastes must really be horrible from where you come from. I'll talk with the head of the staff at my earliest convenience. He'll have some fit clothing prepared for you then."

"Fit clothing?"

"Stop parroting what I'm saying! Are you brain damaged or something?" she retorted, "Now, don't let me repeat myself a fourth time. _Stand up, commoner!_"

He slowly stood, the simple action made him feel nauseous as he grabbed on to his knees and breathed in deeply. He didn't know where he was. The skin of these people was fair, so maybe he was in Europe or America? He didn't understand that bit about nobles and servants, but if he could get a phone, then he could call the police. He didn't know if the European police knew Japanese, but…

How did he understand them?

How did he understand the girl?

The grassy plain and the white castle looked much like those he had seen once in an European postcard. The girl was speaking Japanese however, because he understood her.

This was getting stranger and stranger. How had he ended up there?

A random thought struck him then, his feet having already begun to move to follow the girl inside the castle. Maybe he was in a coma. There were many things that didn't make sense, like those strange creatures and the way he understood them while they clearly weren't Japanese. He looked at his sneakers, slightly dirty with the mud and the grass of the courtyard.

Maybe the green light he had seen was from a traffic light. He was crossing the road and then, _bam_, a truck had struck him down. That made sense.

He was in a coma. His throat really felt dry as he breathed in deeply. This was a coma. He bit down on his lower lip tightly. The pain felt real. How could it be a coma then?

Wasn't he supposed to wake up eventually?

But what if he didn't?

What if this Coma-World became his life?

His heart drummed incessantly in his chest. What of his parents? What of his mother, his father? What of his friends at school? Would they parade in front of his hospital bed, leaving behind flowers and cards? Then, one day, would his old and dying mother finally nod to unplug him?

That thought terrorized him.

He had to wake up.

_What if it isn't a dream?_ A traitorous part of his mind replied. _Killing yourself in a Coma might not wake you up at all, you know? Do you have any proof it's a Coma-Dream? Did anyone who ever woke from a Coma say something like this? Did anyone live something like this?_

He didn't know, and that scared him even more.

If it wasn't a dream, if it wasn't a coma, if this was reality…then where was he and how could he get back home?

"Ah, you there, maid," he heard the girl speak, jolting his brain out of his tumultuous activity to find reason and logic. His eyes looked up to the maid in question. Another fair-skinned girl, with blond hair and blue eyes, stopped cleaning the wall and turned towards Louise, before bowing.

"Yes, milady?"

"Take my familiar to the head of the staff. Have him fitted with some commoner's clothes and make sure the symbol of the La Vallière house is visible on them."

The maid looked at him them with a curious expression, before nodding while holding on a pleasant smile. "Of course, milady, I will do so immediately."

"While you're at it," the girl added then, "teach him how to act like a commoner. He must be from some backwater place if he doesn't even know how to properly address a noble."

"I will do so with haste, milady."

The girl then turned to look at him. "Now, listen up commoner. I summoned you, and that makes you my familiar. Whatever a familiar does, the people consider it the master's action. Do not shame the La Vallière name or me. I will not hesitate to punish you, but become a good servant and I will reward you," she then eyed the maid, "Now follow the maid and get changed into some clothes befitting of your status as my familiar."

He swallowed nervously, before quietly taking a step forward to follow the maid. "Ah," the maid said, "You should thank milady for her kind words," the girl added. "She is giving you a great honour of being her personal servant after all."

"Exactly, exactly," Louise nodded. "Really, from what backwater place did you come out from, not to know the basics of courtesy?"

His throat felt drier than ever. It felt drier than the time he had eaten sand as a child. His heart's painful beats were agonizing; sweat fell from his back as his neck air rose slightly. He wasn't angry about this. He was _afraid_.

"I…thank you, m-milady."

"No stammering," the girl rolled her eyes. "But it's a decent first try," with that the girl strolled off towards her class, leaving him behind with the maid.

"My name is Jacqueline," the maid said then, her voice low. "Did I hear correctly? Are you really Mademoiselle de La Vallière familiar?"

He grimaced. "I…don't know."

"Oh," she blinked, before grimacing back. "You were summoned from your hometown, right? Don't worry, I'm sure if you ask kindly Mademoiselle de La Vallière will let you write back home."

Her blue eyes gazed at him intensively, before smacking her forehead with her right hand. "Sorry, stupid me. If you're from some small village then it might even be difficult for a messenger to find it in the first place…and do you know how to write?"

"Ah, I…"

"Now, calm down," Jacqueline said, "You don't look really well, you know? Listen, let's get you to the head of the staff for the moment. Monsieur Gustaf might be a bit intimidating, but he has a good heart in his chest."

Saito numbly nodded, following the blond haired girl outside and in a rectangular building on the other side of the courtyard, past a bunch of chairs and tables made of white wood —empty at the moment.

Jacqueline knocked politely on a door that had strange markings etched on a plaque in front of it.

"This here reads Monsieur Gustaf," Jacqueline said, pointing to the plaque. "Can you read it?"

"No," he swallowed his nervousness. He couldn't read and he couldn't probably write in that language to begin with. The maid just smiled at him awkwardly, before a gruff male voice spoke from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

Jacqueline opened the door, letting him in before dutifully closing it. The office was small but neat, with a filing cabinet in a corner near the window and a desk with a stack of white papers neatly piled on it. A shelf with some folders stood behind the desk, occupying the wall opposite the door.

Sitting at the desk, a dark grey-haired man in his late forties looked from his small spectacles towards him, his striking grey-blue eyes seemingly piercing Saito's very soul.

"Who's the boy? A new hire from the Headmaster?"

"This is…" Jacqueline's words died in her mouth as she blushed for a moment, "Oh dear," she turned to look at Saito. "I didn't ask you what your name was, I'm sorry! That was _so_ rude of me!"

She brought both hands to her face. "Really, such a terrible mistake."

"Ah, it's…it's all right," Saito said, bringing his right hand up as if to wave away the situation. "I'm Hiraga…"

"Hiraga is a strange name," Gustaf acquiesced, cutting him off from saying his full name. "So, why is Hiraga here, Jacqueline?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry sir," Jacqueline turned to look at Gustaf, a light tinge of red rushing to her cheeks. "Mademoiselle de La Vallière summoned him as a familiar and…"

"Sacre bleu!" Gustaf exclaimed, wide-eyed. "To summon a commoner? Really? My god…you're not from around here, are you?" he sharply looked at Saito, who dumbfounded could only nod. "You poor boy," Gustaf exhaled.

"W-Why?" Saito croaked out.

"Really you do not understand? You're not from around here are you?"

"No," Jacqueline said for him, "He's probably from a small village. He doesn't know how to write or read and didn't know how to treat nobles to begin with."

"Must be a farming area then, maybe in the mountain ranges," Gustaf exhaled. "Listen…do the words Gallia, Romalia, Albion or Germania mean anything to you?"

Saito shook his head.

"He's probably a farm boy then," Gustaf muttered. "Jacqueline? Can you go and call Siesta? I'll take things from here for the moment," with that the blonde maid made a small curtsy before leaving the room.

"Don't worry," she said while passing next to Saito, "It's going to be all right, got it?"

Then she left him there.

Saito numbly sat on the offered chair, before Gustaf slowly cleared his voice and began to talk.

"Now, I know you're probably scared. I was too when I began working at the Academy. Nobles can be scary, but if you know how to deal with them, you can live a long life. Just…listen to my words," kindly, the man took one of the paper sheets from his desk and brought up an inkpot and a feather.

He scribbled down a few lines, and then turned the paper.

"This here reads: Hiraga, servant of Mademoiselle Louise Françoise le Blanc de La Vallière," he said pointing with the tip of the feather to each of the words in question.

So that was how he wrote his surname in this strange alphabet?

"Now, take the feather delicately," Gustaf remarked before gently pushing it in the palm of his right hand, as if he was dealing with a child, "And write that line below a few times until you get it perfectly, all right?"

It felt strange. It was as if they were coddling him, afraid he might snap. He didn't feel like snapping. He felt tired, saddened, with a heavy weight on his shoulders and body but…he didn't feel angry. Couldn't he just phone home?

_There are no phones. That's why nobody is offering you one._ His traitorous mind shot him back that reason, as he numbly wrote line after line of strange symbols until he got it at the very least similar to the first one.

It was sloppy work, but compared to Hiragana or other more complicated symbols of the Japanese alphabet, it was doable.

"Good," Gustaf said after a few moments. "The Academy is a place that teaches nobles how to use magic," he added, "But there are rules in place. Nobles can't just throw spells at the servants, and they can't sexually abuse or physically harm them too," that was when he looked at Saito with a sad expression. "You do not fall under these rules however, as you are the familiar of a noble. A familiar's actions are the actions of their noble, but at the same time, a noble is free to do as he pleases with his familiar. The two are one and the same."

"What does that mean?" Saito asked in a low murmur.

"Mind you, it's extremely rare, but sometimes a wizard isn't happy with what they summoned. While the ritual is sacred and the noble cannot repeat it, nothing prohibits casting the summoning spell again… as long as the first familiar is dead."

The spit stilled in Saito's throat, as he coughed out with tears prickling his eyes. "W-What! N-No! You can't be…"

"Thankfully I am sure this doesn't appear to be the case. I do not know Mademoiselle de La Vallière, and a commoner summoned is unheard of, but I'm sure if you work hard this will never come to pass. However this is basically what it is: as a familiar, the noble that summoned you has free reign over what you eat, how you dress, everything down to the punishments you receive…"

"That's slavery!" Saito finally found the courage to yell. "That's just plain slavery!"

"It's…unfortunate, but there's nothing you can do. Nobles make the laws and a familiar is the direct responsibility of the mage. I'm sure if you keep your head low you won't ever feel a whip on your skin."

"A whip?" Saito's voice was but a whisper.

"I'm sorry, kid," Gustaf's lips twitched downwards in a light grimace, "If it were any other noble, maybe you could come up with a deal. Many nobles simply dislike the idea of having a familiar to take care of, and some are down to earth. I know of a few students who have but small plots of land to their family names and who'd be more than willing to hire one more farmhand…but the La Vallière family is a really important one. Everyone knows they're tightly tied with the Crown."

"The crown?"

"Tristain's royal family: everyone knows the Duke de La Vallière is a descendant of a royal bastard, and his lands are second only to the crown's own," Gustaf looked at him kindly. "This isn't as bad as it sounds though. Working for the La Vallière's youngest daughter isn't a bad deal at all."

"I'm a slave," Saito said plainly, his voice cracked.

"A familiar," Gustaf corrected him kindly, "and you're taking this the wrong way. Listen, just keep your head low and obey and you'll find out it's not that bad of a life. You'll have a roof on your head and food in your stomach. I'm sure…" there was a knock at the door. "Oh, that must be Siesta. Come in," Gustaf said the last part towards the door.

An olive skinned girl with dark hair and eyes —she looked Japanese— entered the room with a small curtsy. "You called, Mister Gustaf?"

"Siesta, this is Hiraga. Hiraga, this is Siesta," Gustaf said. "Siesta, can you show Hiraga around and give him one of the free cots? He'll be Mademoiselle de La Vallière's personal servant from now on, so if you can grab a clean set of clothes from the warehouse and sew on them their symbol, it would be appreciated."

Gustaf stood up once more, pulling a drawer of the filing cabinet and taking out a small bundle of cloth. "Here is the design."

It was a half-red and half-gold background with a half-white and half-black lion, or at least what looked like a lion —if not for the wings it had on its back and a scorpion-like tail.

Siesta curtsied once more, taking the cloth.

"Please follow me," she said then to Saito, who hastily stood up from the chair.

"Kid, one last bit of advice," Gustaf called, pulling up his right hand to get his attention. Saito turned, and Gustaf finished his sentence. "Nobles are always right. If you have any pride, for all that is sacred and loved by Brimir, swallow it and never let it emerge. Nobles have magic, we commoners don't. Don't risk your neck when a 'I'm wrong' might solve the issue."

"T-Thank you;" Saito muttered, before following Siesta after making a light bow of his head towards the head of the staff.

The clothes he changed on were itchy, but he didn't have much of a choice. The more he looked around, the less he saw signs of civilization. He didn't know whether this place was a refuge for madmen who enjoyed playing 'magic' or if it actually was a Coma-dream.

He just…he didn't know anything at all.

"Are you done?" he nearly jumped when Siesta's voice came from the other side of the door of the male servants' room.

"Ah, yes! Yes, I'm coming out right now."

He wore plain brown clothes now. Long trousers, stiff and hurtful shoes and —well, he actually kept his own underwear because there was no way he'd put on something that simply screamed 'I'm going to make you itch down there, whether you like it or not'.

His right hand touched with the tip of his fingers the emblem sewn on the fabric. It had been a quick work, but it looked as if a professional had done it.

"You look nice," Siesta offered as a compliment, before making a light curtsy. "Does the stitching itch somewhere?"

"No," Saito said, shaking his head.

"Very well then," the maid took a step forward to set his clothes firmly, before giving a nod of acceptance. "Good. Now you look like the proper servant," she smiled lightly. "Well then, Hiraga, right?"

Saito nodded —better to leave it at that than try and correct them. He didn't know how to write 'Saito' in their language to begin with.

"Let's go," Siesta said kindly, "The lessons are just about to end and your master is probably waiting to look at you fully dressed."

Saito followed quietly.

He didn't know if these people actually believed magic existed or not, but if there was one thing he swore on doing was to find a way back home as soon as possible.

His brain was conveniently forgetting about the strange creatures, but then again he wasn't an expert on foreign lands…so maybe they were just creatures that lived in Europe?

'Françoise' sounded a lot like France actually. Therefore, he was in France. In a Dream-Coma-like France, so maybe this was just as he believed France to be in his subconscious?

If so…he really had to wake up soon.

He didn't want to remain in this place. He wanted to go back home.

He didn't want to play the little slave, the servant or whatnot. He just wanted his mother, his father, and the lovely hamburgers he'd sometime have for dinner.

He wanted that…and nothing more.

**Author's notes**

**Removed the For Laughs from Zero No Tsukaima.**

**I also realized that there was no better way to end An Acolyte of Zero than leaving it at the last chapter it currently is and writing an epilogue of sorts. Maybe I'll get back to it with a Sequel, maybe not, but it started as a 'humorous' thing which became Grimdark.**

**This time, I'm removing the For Laughs from ZNT while giving the characters a bit of a brain. (No, this isn't about Nobility Bashing, Louise Bashing, or whatnot. This is literally giving **_**every**_** character a brain, not just Saito.)**

**The REAL reason I'm writing this is because I'm actually writing this chapter in Garamond Font, point 12, and I wanted to see how it 'flows'.**

**The second, actual reason is that my Muse **_**should be shot**_**. Unless I wrote this, it actually refused to do anything else.**

**Hope you enjoy…**


	2. Homesick

Enslaved

Chapter Two

It reminded him of his own High School. Instead of an electronic bell, it was a set of heavy bells that rung, but the result was the same. The classes emptied, students trickling out after the professor. He remained uncomfortably tense with his back close to the wall, trying to disappear within it.

The students —nobles— stared at him for a second, maybe two, and then forgot of his existence and went on with their steady walks.

"You paid your commoner well, Zero," a sultry voice caught his attention. "He acts the part of the wallflower perfectly."

His gaze went up to meet those of a dark eyed girl with crimson hair and tanned skin. She looked like one of those Gankuro girls that also bleached their hairs for fashion reasons. Next to her was a small blue haired girl with glasses, holding a book in her right hand and a staff in her left.

The pink haired girl was his…_master_. He remained quiet, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead as the girl examined him intensively, while ignoring the other two.

"You look decent enough, for a commoner," Louise stated plainly. "Well, let's go. I'll have to talk with the Headmaster about this and write a letter home eventually, but that can wait until after dinner."

Saito's stomach took that moment to remind quietly the boy that he was still without dinner. He hadn't realized it until then, but time seemed to be on a different scale. The sun was setting while he was returning home, yet here there had still been hours of light.

This reinforced his idea that this was France or some sort of place like that. The time zone was different after all, so it was the only plausible answer… unless his Coma-induced dream simply followed no rules at all to begin with.

Saito remained quiet. He was a good head taller than the pink girl was —her name was Louise— and just with that he could see the top of her head. She really was strawberry blond to begin with. It was a natural colour. Really, were such dreams so vivid?

He could actually smell her light perfume, or the wax on the lit candles that shed light in the corridors. This couldn't be a dream, no matter how much he hoped it was.

"Now, listen here," said Louise, "You'll eat with the servants afterwards. Until then, just stay behind my chair and wait patiently."

"Y-yes?"

"You should consider yourself honoured," continued Louise. "I could have let you eat with the familiars in the stables, you know?"

She eyed him sharply. "You should thank my generosity, really."

"Thank you?" he hazarded back, slowly. "Milady?" he added then, letting the word roll out of his throat.

"Next time let it sound more natural," Louise huffed. "And you're my familiar, so it's 'master'."

"Yes, master."

Wasn't he a human being like her though? Why did he have to treat this as if he were in a maid café, acting the part of the welcoming buxom girl?

Didn't he have a say in the matter? A 'No thanks, I'd like to go back home'? Everyone accepted it as if it was a done deal, but really…Why couldn't he just leave?

"I'll have to buy you a sword too," Louise muttered. "At least you'll have something to protect me from harm."

Saito nodded with a grimace on his face. He wasn't going to wield a sword, much less was he going to use one to protect the girl, but was it worth it making a scene in his Coma-Dream? He just had to keep it at his hip and never use it.

Moreover, what harm did the girl expect to suffer from? Was there anything dangerous in this school to begin with?

He remained quiet as he stepped inside a magnificent hall filled with candles and long tables, where each student appeared to seat depending on their year of schooling. Louise sat without a hint of worry at her own place, while he remained standing behind her a few feet away.

An old man stood up from his spot and said crisply. "Let us pray, children of Brimir, for this dinner that the Founder brought to our tables."

So…they were religious nuts. His subconscious was perhaps trying to appeal to him, somewhat trying to tell him that he had to pray god in order to wake up from his nightmare? He didn't know who Brimir was, and he didn't know anything about the Holy Land the prayers spoke of one day reconquering. The only thing he knew of was that when the 'Blessed be the Founder' rang, he just mouthed the words for extra safety.

Then, the maids and butlers of the Academy entered the hall.

Siesta gave him an awkward smile —as did Jacqueline— when they saw him, entering as they did with trolleys filled with warm plates and steaming steaks. He tried to ignore it all, albeit the sound of clinking forks and knives grated on his nerves. He remained silent, trying to find some discrepancy in this dream. Wasn't there a saying that if you realized you were dreaming, you could influence the dream to begin with?

The saliva pooled on his tongue as he swallowed it down. How long could a dinner last? One hour? Two hours?

It was unnerving. Still, the steak soon left the place to some type of steamed vegetable ensemble, and then to a beautifully served dessert of sorts. A small yawn escaped his lips, before he quickly brought a hand up to his mouth and slowly began to close his eyes. He was tired from the entire ordeal too.

What if he fell asleep within the dream?

All the questions floated through his head, as he heard Louise call him. He opened his eyes blearily, but quickly enough not to be caught taking a moment of 'standing shut-eye'.

"I forgot to ask," the girl said. "What is your name, commoner?"

"Hiraga," Saito replied.

"Eeraga? That's a strange name for a commoner," Louise remarked. "Where are you from, Eeraga?"

"Tokyo," he answered.

"I don't care about the name of your backwater village," Louise stated quite plainly, huffing in displeasure. "I mean the country."

"Japan," he replied. He didn't want to correct the girl about just how much of a 'backwater village' Tokyo was. This was a dream to begin with.

"Can't you give a more satisfactory answer?" Louise grumbled, shooting him a sharp glare. "Very well, you'll go without dinner then," she added nodding to herself. "It will teach you manners."

His tongue rasped against the back of his throat.

"I'm sorry, master," he said then, "It won't happen again."

"Uhm…" the girl turned thoughtful. "Fine," she huffed once more, "But only because you apologized so fast. Now, don't tell me the name of the region you come from, tell me the _country_."

"I…don't know, master," he said then. "I only know the name of my village and the name of…the countryside nearby."

"Oh," Louise turned her eyes back on her plate. "Way to go, Louise," the girl mumbled to herself softly. "You had to summon a washed off peon from a farmstead."

Saito remained silent.

"You don't even know how to read or write, right?" Louise asked.

"No, master," the 'master' was weighing down on him as a word the more he spoke it. It felt wrong. He belonged to the proud Japanese race for the love of god; it was supposed to count for something. They would never break, they would never yield, and they would never cease to fight! That lasted until two nuclear bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but still…

They were the ones who invented Kamikaze attacks.

"That is something we will correct as soon as possible," Louise said plainly, before slowly standing up. She actually left half of her dessert in her plate, before marching off.

During the entire time…no one had talked to her. It felt slightly off, but Saito didn't say a word more. "You have any brothers at home?" that question caught him unprepared.

"No," he replied, warily watching the girl as she stilled for a moment.

"Family?"

_Why was she asking?_

"Yes, my parents."

The girl's mood appeared to drop further —if it ever dropped in the first place— before she huffed. "Very well, you can go and eat with the servants now. I will wait for you tomorrow at breakfast. Afterwards, we will have the entire day to get you accustomed with what serving nobility means."

Saito was actually a quick sport, and it didn't take him long to say exactly what the girl wanted to hear.

"I understand. Thank you, master."

Smiling smugly to herself, Louise went her own way.

He, on the other hand, found himself following a maid —Rebecca was her name, and she was from Romalia— all the way to the kitchens.

"Sacre bleu, it's the noble's familiar!" the chef was a portly man with a heavy laugh and a stocky build. His meaty hand clapped on Saito's back, before a bowl of soup dropped in his hands. "Eat away! You're skinny boy; put some meat on your bones before the wind carries you away!"

He was forcefully 'sat' down on a wooden stool, before a hard chuck of bread ended up right in front of him. The cook sat down with a heavy sigh on a stool to his side, a mug of something in one hand, and then chuckled as he handed over another mug to him.

"Tis good ale," Marteau commented, "Brewed by me, with no meddling from anyone else. Have a chug, it's tradition around here."

"Ah, but…I don't dr—"

Slowly, he grabbed the mug and took a sip. The look coming from the chef changed from 'you better drink it' to 'good lad!' once more.

The ale tasted bitter. It felt like…it wasn't good at all. He grimaced lightly, scrunching his nose, before swallowing it all the same.

"So, how is it? Good stuff eh?"

"G—Yeah," Saito replied with a strained smile. "Good stuff…"

Marteau laughed. "No need to act precious with me, lad! Eat away! What an affront to my delicious cooking!"

Saito dug in. The bread was hard, but the soup was warm and there to soften it up in a mush to eat together. He avidly finished the bowl, scarfing it down. He nearly choked halfway, taking thus a good sip from the mug in front of him and coughing afterwards.

"There's no greater compliment for a cook then to have someone eat their food fast, but don't you die choking on it!" Marteau laughed. He was quite the happy cook, if the number of times he laughed were of any indication. He seemed genuinely to enjoy working in the kitchen.

"T-Thanks for the meal;" Saito said then, sheepishly looking down at the empty bowl.

"Want some more?" Marteau asked with a bright smile. "It's not like there isn't more to eat. It's always the same soup after all. Trust me, after a few weeks you'll be whining like the others of how we always have soup for dinner."

"I…no, thanks," he shook his head softly.

"Well, how about we chat a bit?" Marteau smiled warmly, "I've got just the thing. I usually keep this as a treat to myself after a long day of work, but you look too downcast to let it be," with that said, the Chef wobbled off towards the back of the kitchen, before returning a few minutes later with a small square of a brown cake and a cup of milk.

"I always make people buy me more ingredients than usual, so when the desserts come out I make a bit more and no one's the wiser," he laughed. His laugh was actually starting to sound soothing. It was just…happy. Saito supposed that being happy made others nearby happy too.

Still, the man was kind. That, more than anything else, was what made Saito's wariness finally melt away.

He began to sniffle.

Marteau apparently had expected that, because he just patted his shoulder as Saito cried.

He cried because he was away from home.

He cried because he wasn't eating dinner with his family.

He cried because he was somewhere where he was a slave in all but name.

He cried because, most of all, he didn't know what would happen to him the next day, or the day after that…and so he cried, because he was afraid.

He missed his mother, even though he had barely seen her that very morning, her back to him as he left the house. He remembered her chopping down the vegetables for dinner; he remembered her smile and her kind face. His father's face too was there, right next to hers. His father's serious expression when he came back from work at night, loosening his necktie and removing the white collared suit his mother would wash and then starch.

All of that, he remembered and because he did…

He cried.

"When I set out from home," Marteau said, "I barely had my arms and my wits with me. Wanted to make my parents proud —the city was filled with opportunities the countryside wasn't. I heard you're from a small village, so you don't have to worry. I'm sure your brothers will take care of your parents just fine, and…"

"I'm…I'm an only child," with that meek whisper, Saito stared back at Marteau. What was it with asking about his family and if he had any brothers?

"Well, the village will take care of them then," Marteau quickly corrected himself. "Really, your parents are going to be fine lad, and you'll have a nice life. Mind you, I became a cook because I couldn't stand nobles, but I'm sure if you work hard everything will be fine."

It was already the second time, or maybe even the third, that people told him the same things. Why? Why did they all have that air of finality as if he had to accept the deal as it was?

Why couldn't he just say no?

He gave a hesitant bite into the brown cake, slowly munching on the chocolate flavoured pastry before swallowing long gulps of milk together with it —it was incredibly dry. Afterwards, he began to walk back towards his cot.

The light of the twin moons, one pale rose and the other teal, illuminated the courtyard as he…

Saito's head slowly lifted upwards.

The two giant orbs remained there, fixed on the sky.

Two.

Giant.

Moons.

"Ah…" he exhaled. "Ahah…" his throat constricted. His voice cracked. "Ah…ahahah…" a nauseous feeling bubbled in his stomach.

Then, he retched falling on the ground, his hands gripping on the grass and the dirt as he emptied his stomach and his entire body trembled from the final, dawning realization that he wasn't home…

…he wasn't even sleeping…

…and he wasn't even on Earth anymore.

"Why me?" he moaned, slamming his right fist on the ground as he slowly stood up. "Why me?"

He felt the tears he had spent before reform in the corner of his eyes.

"I just want to go home," he whispered. "I just want that."

There was a flapping sound of wings, and he suddenly screamed in shock as he fell backwards. A giant blue-skinned lizard swooped down right in front of him, its giant blue eyes staring at him as its throat emitted a soft 'Kyuu'.

It was real.

No dream. No Coma-dream. No 'wake up, Saito! You'll be late for school' anymore.

This was reality.

"Homesick?" a small voice asked. He blinked as he stared at the dragon.

"T-Th…You talk?" Saito's eyes widened as he stared at the beast that widened its eyes and sharply shook its head quickly, before bringing down its paws to show a blue haired girl on its back.

The girl just looked at him. She couldn't be more than…he'd say thirteen. She looked so small, and the staff she had on her back was bigger than she was to begin with.

"Yes," the girl added then. Saito breathed in and out deeply, his eyes going from the tiny girl to the blue giant dragon that appeared to be peacefully gazing at him. As long as the gaze was 'peaceful' he was fine with it.

There was silence.

The wind picked up slowly.

"Yes," Saito finally whispered, deciding to break the 'silent' deadlock by answering the previous question. "I'm homesick."

"Go home," Tabitha replied simply.

"I don't know where it is," Saito said, looking downcast. "It could be," no, it definitively was, "far away."

"Look for it," Tabitha added softly.

It felt like a dream —a dragon with a girl on its back swooping down from the sky to answer his sadness and grief.

"It's easier said than done," Saito muttered. "I don't even know where I am now," he plainly looked up towards the sky. The two moons were still there, mockingly standing up in the firmament without a care for his plight.

"Tristain, three hours, horse-back," she locked eyes with him. "Work. Money. Three days, horse-back, La Rochelle. Ships depart to Albion, Germania, Romalia or Gallia." It was as if she had planned everything beforehand, as if she herself had thought the same thing.

"Alone, you can be free as long as you wish it," she whispered in the end, gazing at him hard.

"What if I don't have a horse?" Saito said then, perplexed.

"Walk."

Then just as she came, she was gone. It was…_bizarre_. It…it didn't make much sense to him, and neither was the reason for her appearing and then disappearing like that, without even waiting for him to ask anything more.

He glanced once more up at the sky, catching just a glimpse of the 'dragon rider' of whom he didn't even know the name. She made it sound so simple. Then again, she was a noble and rode a frigging dragon.

So…that thing about magic was real too?

He wondered what type of magic they did, these nobles.

He didn't feel so sick anymore. Maybe…maybe there was a magical spell to send him back home. He just had to find it. He clenched his fist.

He'd find it.

He'd find a way back home.

The runes on the back of his left hand glittered softly under the pale moonlight.

**Author's notes**

_**Everyone has a brain**_**.**


	3. The Cloying Taste of Despair

Enslaved

Chapter Three

The rattling of a ladle against a pot woke him up with a little shock, as he blearily opened his eyes to his new reality. He looked around for a moment, before following the crowd of manservants who flocked out like chickens who found the coop was open.

"Get your breakfast while it's hot!" Marteau yelled handing over cups of warm milk and bread with meat inside. "Leave nothing behind lads! You've got yer work to do after this!"

Saito didn't wait for even a heartbeat before eating.

He was then firmly guided by a manservant to where the nobles' rooms were —apparently, it was his duty to wake up his 'master' in time, and then he was left alone, in front of the door.

Saito swallowed nervously, before knocking with the back of his hand on the door. "Master? It is time to wake up," what had the man —Jeanpierre— told him? Right. He had to enter, walk steadily and with determination towards the window and its silk curtains, and open them with a firm steadfastness. After that was over, he had to open the window to let the air change and…

Then he had to wait.

"Eeraga," Louise groggily muttered. "You can wait outside," she added then.

He nodded, made the small 'bow' he had been told to do, and then left.

Meanwhile, his mind already planned his way out of there.

The 'master' had told him about buying him a sword. He could start from there. The moment he had the sword, and after bringing the 'master' back to school, he would return to the city with an excuse and then sell the sword right back for some starting money. With that amount, he'd have enough of a leeway to find a job somewhere.

He'd then earn money and head off to La Rochelle —wherever that place was. From there, he would find his own freedom working on a ship. His grandfather had worked on ships all his life —he could do it too. Japanese were proud people of the sea and the mountain. He could…well; no actually, he _would_ do it.

Saito patiently waited for his master to finish her breakfast, before following her once more. "Today is Void day," the girl said crisply. "We'll be taking a horse for Tristania, Tristain's capital;" she explained. "It is a large city, so if you feel overwhelmed just stick close to me and don't get lost, understood?"

He nodded, before catching himself and actually answering.

"Yes, master."

"You ever rode a horse?"

Saito shook his head.

"No, master."

The words felt like poison, as fear gripped at his heart. What if he couldn't escape? What if they punished him for trying? Better to die free than live in slavery was a nice way to say it, but he wasn't a hero or a revolutionary. He was a student at the last year of high school. He wasn't a soldier. The blue haired girl made everything sound so easy, but in truth, it wasn't.

He couldn't even read or write, what was he going to do with his life? Plough the fields for a living?

No, he needed something that gave him the possibility to travel.

He'd become a sailor.

"Travelling by horse isn't difficult, and the academy's horses are most peaceful creatures," Louise said. "Just hold on to the reins and give them a pat on the side of the head."

"Yes, master," Saito said.

In silence, they reached the stables. She climbed on her own with practiced ease, while he took a few minutes to settle on the saddle. It wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be, but it wasn't even easy to begin with. He just held on with sheer fear of falling and dying, and the moment they were off on the road he began to breathe in and out quickly.

The sky was clear and there were little to no clouds.

"Servant," Louise said as they kept a nice and slow pace along the road. "Did…" she took a little breath of her own, as if to steady herself, "Did you find someone willing to teach you how to write and read?"

"Ah, yes master," he replied.

"Good, that's good," Louise nodded. "I was thinking," she added then, "Even the lowest of servants is paid for his work. You're a familiar, but still you should have some money to spend for your own entertainment…as long as it isn't something depraved, of course."

"You are most generous, master," Saito replied smoothly, his gaze low. The nobles were always right. He just had to accept it and, if he had even some spending money, it would all be for the better. It would make things easier, even though…there was a light tug at his heartstrings, as he watched the nervously biting-her-lips Louise who held the reins of her horse tightly; to the point that her knuckles were milky white.

She looked lonely. Still, didn't she have friends to talk with at school? The blue haired girl and the red haired one had left the class together with her, hadn't they?

He was going to leave and find out a way to return home. He wasn't going to remain next to…but if he stayed and if he was paid for staying, wasn't it better than looking for a job in the capital? He'd remain just enough to earn the money for a ticket from La Rochelle's port or just enough to be on the safe side while travelling…

He didn't have to remain 'forever'.

The runes on the back of his left hand glowed softly as they reached the stables of Tristain after three hours and a half of quiet silence. His master had not touched the argument again —so he supposed she'd be giving him money depending on how well he worked.

"Now," Louise muttered, "since you can't read…you see the signs? Memorize them because I might ask you to come here and fetch me some reagents one day or another, and you'd better need to know the shops," she raised her hand, pointing ahead. "You could get lost going around for hours, so you see those guys with the lance and the armour? They're guards. They aren't supposed to do anything but loiter around and take care of troublemakers, but if you tell them you're on a commission for a noble they'll be pretty helpful."

She brought her hands to her sides, actually boasting. "Tell them you're doing a commission for De La Vallière and they'll even escort you there," she smiled brightly. "That's just the type of nobility you are lucky to work for, commoner Eeraga."

"Y-yes, master," he nodded promptly.

"Good," she then headed off, pointing this or that shop and their names. He found himself blinking hard a couple of times. The signs, which at first were unintelligible, slowly but surely morphed beneath his eyes to assume familiar characters, as if he could always read them fluently.

"And that is…"

"The guard outpost," Saito exclaimed, blinking as he did. "I can…read."

"Oh?" Louise blinked back in actual surprise. "Uhm…" she frowned for a moment, before looking him up and down appreciatively. "Maybe it's the familiar's runes...like with Cat familiars, who learn how to talk after becoming familiars. It makes all familiars far more intelligent than their normal 'beast' counterparts."

"Familiar runes, master?" Saito's eyes then widened, as he brought up his left hand. "These?"

"Indeed," Louise nodded. "It must clearly be that my magic is quite powerful, if it can make a backwash peasant learn how to read by simply pointing at words."

Saito ground his teeth, before displaying a small smile.

"I…see. I thank you for this gift then, master."

"Yes, yes exactly as you should," Louise nodded again. She then actually beamed him a bright smile, before clapping her hands, "And since you know your place and have been properly thankful, we'll get you a proper sword and maybe something more. The blacksmith doesn't just sell swords to begin with."

"Thank you, master."

He followed the girl as she sped up. Either she wasn't used to being thanked and praised —judging by how her ears perked up when he thanked her— or she was genuinely happy that he _appeared_ so meek and understanding.

He wasn't going to commit murder, but he was going to leave as soon as possible. He did have to admit that it wasn't really a rotten deal though. Sure, he had to call the girl 'master', but didn't butlers do that all the time? He could stay for just a week or two before leaving…

Saito was frowning by the time he and Louise reached the blacksmith's shop. He opened the door for Louise, letting her enter first before closing it behind them. The shopkeeper was an old man in his fifties with a pipe in his mouth and a half-sleazy smile. The smile disappeared the moment he saw the pentagram etched on Louise's mantelpiece, and his face turned ashen white when he saw Saito's De La Vallière symbol on his chest.

"M…Mademoiselle! My fair lady," the man hurried up and bowed deeply, "What can this humble shop provide for your tastes?"

"My servant needs a weapon, a sword," she said calmly, taking up the part of the noblewoman. "And also something easy to use for him, like a dagger. Two weapons are better than one, right?"

"Of course milady, of course," the man hurried towards one of the weapon racks, before returning with an exquisite sword —which was on the thin side, as a sort of hybrid between a rapier and a scimitar. It glinted with jewels, but Louise gave it a scoff.

"No, better to give him something bigger and wider at first…you don't need techniques to swing a warhammer or a broadsword."

"Of course milady, you are right. This is just the fashion of the time, to have servants carry this type of swords…"

"I said a larger broadsword," Louise replied impatiently. "Don't waste my time, commoner."

For once, Saito was actually glad he wasn't a shopkeeper. Was that how he acted with Louise? Head low and telling her she was always right? No wonder…

"Ohi," a voice whispered. It was deep and male, and seemed to come from somewhere further ahead in the midst of the weapon racks. "Get me out of here, partner."

"Uh?" Saito blinked, "Is there someone else here?"

"Servant?" Louise asked, "Who are you talking to?"

"Ah, milady! There's no one else in here, clearly, I will now go and find an adequate broadsword for your servant!" the shopkeeper hurried towards the back, but the voice came again.

"I'm here partner! In the barrel next to the broadsword rack, look!"

Saito slowly walked forward, his runes glowing softly as his eyes finally settled on a rusty and dingy longsword. It looked familiar. Its length was similar to that of a broadsword, but the blade was thinner.

"Ohi, partner," the sword talked.

Saito blinked.

"The sword…talks," he stated plainly, eying the longsword.

"Uh? Servant, really, there's no way a sword could…"

"Ehi miss! I'm a done deal if you buy me!" the sword exclaimed then. "Guaranteed to work! And I'm also easy to use and light! Trust me, I'll be an excellent trainer to the kiddo here!"

Saito carefully lifted the sword out of the barrel.

He swung it, using his right hand to spin the blade with an ease he did not think he could ever possess, before slicing the air in front of him and then stabbing it repeatedly —as if fighting an invisible enemy.

"Yep!" the blade exclaimed. "Easy to use and everything!"

"You never wielded a sword before, right?" Louise asked, eying Saito carefully.

"N-No," Saito croaked back, clenching the handle of the blade tightly.

The sword…felt _his_.

It was like claiming that the bed, in which he slept back at home in Tokyo, was 'his'. It called to him with the same sense of longing, the same powerful sensation, the same nostalgic feeling of ownership. The blade was _his_. If he had to _kill_ the shopkeeper and _bury_ his corpse to keep the sword, then he _would_…because the blade was _**his**_.

"Ah, milady I just foun—" the shopkeeper had returned with a bright golden sword, but froze at the sight of the rusty longsword in Saito's hands. "Derflinger! If you scared the customers again I…"

"We're taking it," Louise said calmly, "We're taking it and another sword." She then looked at Saito, "You'll train with that one…I doubt you'll even manage to chop a sheet of paper with all that rust anyway, which makes it perfect for training. And it talks…so I'm sure it will help you learn how to wield it properly," she then rounded on the shopkeeper. "Since we'll be taking a longsword… show me the smaller swords, commoner."

Grounding his teeth but holding his smile up, the shopkeeper smiled. "But, milady, that sword is rusted and…"

"Then it will come in cheap, probably fifty ecus or less, if it scares customers away, then you should be the one paying us for saving you from it," Louise rolled her eyes, before gazing long and hard at the blacksmith. "Let's see another sword now, and make it quick."

A small dagger soon shone from Saito's belt, followed by a small rapier and a steel gauntlet for his right hand. He had to politely refuse a chain mail —because really, why was the girl thinking he had to go headfirst in a battle?

Still, this 'shower' of gifts seemed stale to him. It was as if she was trying hard to…well, to do something. She wasn't even very subtle about it. She wanted his loyalty. She wanted to buy his fealty. It wasn't difficult to see everything for what it was: an attempt to appease him…he couldn't understand why, though.

Wasn't he the familiar? Wasn't he the slave?

Louise paid for his stuff with less than five hundred ecus in all.

"Really, to do this much…you must count yourself very lucky," Louise grumbled. "I'm sure any other servant wouldn't receive this much in such a short time," she added.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, master," he replied once more. Was the girl really that dense, not to hear the stressed undertone of his words? Or maybe…maybe she was just that desperate. It sobered his mood, thinking that…well, what if she really was that desperate?

He knew nothing of her condition, of how she lived day by day and…well, he could wait and see how a week went by?

Was there even the need to leave so soon, after barely a day?

What waited for him outside of the school anyway? The unknown…at least at the Academy he had three meals a day and he had nice people to talk with. He didn't need to leave.

He really didn't.

The runes glowed softly, before dying out to their normal lacklustre appearance.

Louise beamed him a smile at his praise of her, which was actually endearing to see —it even warmed his heart— and then she headed over to a stall with him nearby.

"This, here, is a Tristain's delicacy," Louise stated, thrusting in his hands what looked like a crepes of sorts. "You probably never had one before, so here you go, eat it!"

"T-Thank you, master," he chewed hesitantly on it. It was sweet, filled with butter and melted cheese. There was even lard in it —how the hell could anyone digest it was a wonder, but it did taste good in its own strange way.

Then they began to walk around the city. He felt as if the girl was parading him around, what with her way of casually stopping to talk with other nobles —who all appeared to lose their air of nobility and arrogance the moment they settled their eyes on the crest on his chest. His feet began to hurt, just like his right hand —really, who 'always' wore those gauntlet-things? Not only was it heavy, but it also screwed with his sense of touch.

He understood it probably 'looked cool' for other nobles to have their servants 'armoured' up. He'd throw the gauntlet away in a ditch as soon as he could. He couldn't even scratch the back of his hand with that thing on!

"Ehi partner," the sword spoke then, just as he stood slightly away from the girl. "You know, it's been a while since I was last wielded. It's…surprising."

"What is?" Saito asked, looking ahead. He couldn't look at the blade's scabbard without twisting his neck, so he hoped the sword didn't find it offensive.

"How things changed. I'm six thousand years old, kiddo," the sword remarked. "There wasn't even the cobblestone on the road back when I was last wielded…there was only green grass and a few wooden huts."

Saito blinked. "You…you're six thousand years old?"

"Course I am, I'm the all-mighty Derflinger," the sword spoke. "I am a Soul-Sword. I'm glad this form lasted long enough for me to find my partner back once more."

"Soul…sword? I don't understand…"

"Well, thankfully there's Derflinger here to explain then," the sword chuckled, if such a thing was possible. "But you have to keep your cool, partner. Understood? No freaking out!"

"Freaking out for what?" Saito asked, actually looking around perplexed. He hoped nobody was looking at him strangely —he was talking to a sword to begin with.

"I am a soul, bound to a sword. Although, actually, I'm more of a soul bound to the runes on your left hand. Even if this sword were to shatter, I would return by occupying another."

"So…you're a living being?" Saito swallowed. "You're…a human?"

"No, no, I never was a human," Derflinger remarked. "I was a soul. My owner, he birthed me as a soul for a sword. I'm…a spirit, shall we say? Elven magic at its finest, of course, nothing less would work."

"So you're an artificial soul created for the purpose of inhabiting a sword?"

"You're taking this with stride partner, I like that."

"I'm not. I'm just way beyond shocked to properly convey my feelings," Saito deadpanned back. "Your name is Derflinger, right?"

"Yep, the All-Mighty Derflinger!"

"Mine is Hiraga," Saito said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, the pleasure's all mine boy! Still, what I wanted to tell you is something else, but it will have to wait until tonight," the sword said with a clank. "Your master is done talking, don't let her wait too much."

Saito tensed, and then broke in a small run to reach his master's side.

"I was done talking with that man one minute ago, servant," Louise stated simply. "Were you daydreaming?"

"N-No master, I was talking with the sword."

"Uhm, just make sure it doesn't happen again. Really, no master ever has to wait for his servants. It's always the opposite."

"Yes master, you're right master," Saito nodded quickly. "It won't happen again."

"Very well then," Louise said. "We can return to the Academy now," and with that, she strolled off with him slightly behind.

On his back, Derflinger quietly observed the scene.

It reminded him of another similar one…but that one had ended in blood and agony.

It was better for his awesome self to work a way out of it then. He owed it to his last partner.

He owed it to his mother.

**Author's notes**

**Derflinger is a 'soul-sword' believing the wiki. As always, 'everyone has a brain'.**

**Had 300 words of rant ready for an Anonymous. Erased them because, yep, anonymous who flames aren't worthy being answered to.**

**Short story is: Action. Reaction. Murder Louise…and what happens next?**


	4. The Talk of the Empty Void

Enslaved

Chapter Four

It was midafternoon by the time they returned to the Academy. Louise let him go 'familiarize' with his sword, and at the same time ordered him to have a meal sent up in her room. He bowed and nodded, holding up his smile as he made his way to the kitchens.

Along the way, Derflinger began to hum. How the blade could hum was beyond his comprehension. It didn't have vocal chords to begin with, but then again it also was without a tongue so…

Therefore, there was no way the weapon could hum, yet it did.

"Partner, tell me," Derflinger said as they walked, "What is your story?"

"My… story?"

"How did you come here, from where, who are your parents and so on…"

"Why are you so interested?"

"Because you're my partner now, partner," Derflinger remarked, stressing the 'partner' word as much as a sword with no mouth or tongue could. "And no matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."

"Ah…thanks?"

"Don't thank me for this, kiddo. There are some other things you have to know…and you will curse me for telling you them before the day ends, but for the moment, tell me about you."

"Well, my name is Hiraga Saito," he said. "I was born in Tokyo, and my parents are…" his voice trailed off, "My father is a white-collar worker," he said, "My mother's a housewife."

"Yes, what is the color of their hair?"

"Black, like mine," Saito blinked, "Why are you asking?"

"Just stick with me, partner," Derflinger said. "What's the color of their eyes?"

"Dark too, wait, no…My father has brown eyes."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No, why are we playing the twenty questions game?"

"There's a game about this? Uh, interesting!" Derflinger rattled, "Amuse me partner, I'll tell you all about myself after all! So…Hiraga Saito, from Tokyo…you are my partner."

"Yes?"

"Just committing it to memory. Do you have any friends from where you came from?"

"Friends?"

The image of a classroom filled with faces passed him by.

"Yes, friends. Comrades. People whom you share wine and tales at night."

"I don't know about wines or tales but…" he flinched, "No, I don't…" a light throbbing spread from his head, before a soothing sensation dulled it down. "No, I don't."

"I see…"

Derflinger did not reply anymore, and thus Saito was able to reach the kitchens without any further delays. The chef looked at him entering and blinked once, before lifting his hands up in the air and 'crashing' them down on his shoulders.

"My good lad!" Marteau exclaimed, "Wait a moment! What are you wearing now? This is an academy, not a war zone!"

"My master ordered me to," Saito replied awkwardly. "I…I didn't have a choice now, did I?"

"Ah…poor lad," Marteau shook his head. "I hope you'll never have to swing a blade. Can you even use it to begin with? It's quite different from using a hoe eh!"

"No," he grimaced. "But my master ordered me to learn so I'll try something…Right, my master would like her lunch in her room…she wants someone other than me to bring it upstairs."

"Oh, she gave you the free afternoon? That was pretty nice of her…even if she clad you in armor."

Saito grimaced. "Yeah…I'll try something."

"You're not hungry too, my boy?"

That…wasn't actually a question, as it turned out.

Marteau had a way of making offers you just couldn't refuse, and as Saito found out, skipping lunch was just one of those thing you did not do if the chef could have a word in about that.

By the time he walked back into the common courtyard, many students were already there taking the sun or talking with one another. He went past them all quietly, ignoring two young girls crying and running away from a blond haired boy with red cheeks. Saito's steps took him into an unused courtyard. He didn't know if it had a name or not, but it was empty of people and it suited him just fine.

"We're alone now," Saito said.

"Partner…maybe we should be somewhere else entirely. How about we go outside?"

"You mean out of the academy?"

"Yes, splendid idea! Let's take a nice stroll partner, a nice walk across the greens. Maybe find a cozy forest where to take a nap beneath the shade of a tree."

Saito's lips quirked up in amusement as the sword began happily to narrate the cheerful benefits of trees and their shades. He was actually singing a sonnet, and albeit the voice had a metallic undertone, it sounded as peaceful to his ears as the softest of lullabies.

While the academy had nothing around it in its immediate proximities, just a bit further —following the road— the path split in two. One of the two roads went straight towards Tristania, while the other instead led into a small forest patch that later became a full-out forest.

The gates were open, and as he walked out without a worry neither of the guards said anything. He had eaten with both back in Marteau's kitchen.

He cut through the grassy field, his lonely black head probably sticking out like a sore thumb in the sea of green. His steps slow and calculated, he panted and had a short breath by the time he reached the beginning of the forest.

"This is far enough, I suppose," he said crisply.

"Yeah partner…how about you take me out and swing me once?"

Saito frowned, but obeyed. The sword came out light as a feather, and then he did a single swing downwards. "Now what?"

"Now, do you see that tree over there? The one with the big trunk?" Derflinger clanked, as Saito's eyes widened at the sight of a thick and old tree that was nearly as tall as a five-story house.

"Yes."

"Swing me at it," Derflinger said.

"What!?" Saito spluttered. "You're going to break!"

"I'm not going to break;" Derflinger replied. "Trust me, partner. Swing me at the trunk and watch."

Saito frowned as he carefully gripped with both hands the sword, before nearing the tree's trunk and preparing the blow. He swung the sword down, expelling air from his lungs as he did so. There was a 'thunk' as Derflinger slammed against the thick trunk leaving behind a sharp mark in the wood.

"How much did you cut?" Derflinger asked.

"An inch? Two? That's…impossible…"

"Put me down against the tree, partner. We need to have an eye-to-handle talk."

Saito obeyed hurriedly, before awkwardly staring at the talking sword.

"I am Derflinger, a six thousand years old sword," Derflinger stated plainly. "I am the sword of the Gandalfr, the shield of God."

There was a moment of silence.

"I can devour magic, and absorb it to become stronger."

Still, Saito said nothing.

"I am bound by the runes in your hand, and have talked with both Brimir and the first Gandalfr, Sasha."

Yet, more silence.

"Really boy, would it hurt to show some surprise, some shock or some denial!?"

Saito blinked, "But…I know nothing of this place…Brimir…was he a mage or a noble? And what is a 'Gandalfr' to begin with?"

Derflinger rattled its handle for a moment, before replying.

"Gandalfr is the shield of God. The familiar known as Gandalfr is a familiar of a Void Mage, and Brimir was the first Void mage to ever exist," Derflinger spoke carefully. "You know, they made a religion out of him."

"Really?"

"Yes," Derflinger clanked its body.

"Oh."

"Oh indeed."

Silence descended once more.

"So…" Saito said suddenly, "I'm something known as Gandalfr?"

"Yes, the Gandalfr is the shield of the mage that summoned him, he can use any weapon with the same skills as the best of masters, and nothing is precluded to him as long as it is feasible by both the mind and the body."

"Uh?"

"You can imagine it, your body can do it, you will do it whether you actually trained to do it or not."

"An example?"

"You can cut down this tree in half, boy. You just need to believe you can do it and, of course, you need to be in the proper state of mind."

A light breeze picked up then, rustling Saito's hair. "What state of mind?"

"Strong emotions," Derflinger spoke crisply. "Be it happiness, sadness, grief, love, hatred…hatred is pretty strong as an emotion, heck…I suppose Hatred or Love fight for the first position…but Love to Hatred turned is probably stronger still."

"So if I hate the tree enough, it will fall?"

"If you generally hate, or love enough, anything is possible," Derflinger replied calmly. "It is the power of the Gandalfr. It won't last forever during the day, but it can last long enough to hold off an army as strong as one made of thousands' thousands for a good twenty to thirty minutes."

"Thousands of thousands?" Saito murmured, before eying the sword and the rune at the back of his hand. "Hey," he asked suddenly, "Is…Is there a way to go back home?"

"Uhm…there is, partner," Derflinger acquiesced. "But that depends on the price you wish to pay."

"What do you mean?"

"Brimir…he split the void, because it was too powerful for a single man to wield. It didn't help him stave off the madness unfortunately, but it did enable Sasha to kill him."

"Sasha? You already said that name once already."

"Sasha…was the very first Gandalfr. Brimir summoned her, and she became the first familiar of the first mage. She was an elf from the great desert, and when she wielded me in battle thousands fell before Brimir finished his incantations…I blame him, actually. He always had to bloody speak too much."

Saito cocked his head to the side.

"An elf? Like…with pointy ears and dressed in green?"

"You have elves from where you come from?"

"No, but…we have cartoons on them, picture books," he hastily added. "I suppose some Otaku would love to be here in my place."

"Elves are the enemy of all mankind, Saito," the sword said gravely. "After what Brimir did, or tried to do anyway…"

"What? What did he try to do?"

"He tried to exterminate them all. Using the Void, he tried to remove them from the world…and he failed, because Sasha stopped him. He failed…because Sasha pierced his heart with me."

Derflinger chuckled. "I am a mixture of soul magic, if Sasha is my mother…then I suppose my power to absorb magic can only come from Brimir. That would make him my father…so I suppose that I'm a parricide."

Saito's face turned slightly white, as the sword remained quiet for a bit more.

"I tried the hardest," Derflinger continued carefully, "To forget about everything. Yet I could not. It defined me, what I had to do…what I saw…it could help a future Gandalfr, so even though I did not want to, I forced myself to remember everything. You ask for a way back home…I know of such a way. The Shaitan Gate, the Gate of Demons, deep within the elven lands lies. From there…Brimir first came through. The elves now guard it jealously, and last I heard the 'Holy Lands' had yet to be reclaimed…"

A bird chirped high on a branch, the rustling of the leaves letting the wind whistle as it moved stronger across the forest's treetops.

"If you seek a way home, that is a way for you to travel…but the gate will only open once all four void users have fully awakened."

"Void users? You mean…my master?"

"Already calling her that, boy?" the sword chuckled dryly, it was such a sad and bitter laugh that it made Saito's soul shudder, filling it with grief. "Doesn't matter in the end…there are four void users, I know that much. Just as there are four familiars, four artifacts, four rings. Void attracts Void partner, so as your master awakens, the more Void objects will come closer to her. It is destined, really," the sword clanked. "It is a bitter destiny."

"Why?"

"Those with power are destined to use it, and rarely come the man or woman that does not use it for his own selfish gains. Let me tell you this, I have dallied long enough on the true problem, scared cat that I am…"

The sword remained quiet for a minute, a long minute, as it tried to find the words.

"The Familiar Summoning Ritual might summon creatures sometimes as feral as a dragon or a manticore, yet they do not attack their summoners. Do you know why that is, partner?"

"N-No?"

"It's because the ritual ensures the target remains inoffensive for a short while, to let the mage complete the binding. Afterwards, runes are carved that slowly but surely make the beast smarter, healthier, stronger than its counterpart…and at the same time, it makes them docile, meeker, more…eager to please their master."

Saito's eyes widened, "You mean…"

"The runes act subtly, over a long —very long— period of time, but they are unquestionably powerful. The Void familiars however are all intelligent beings, generally elves or humans…and so a stronger version is required. It is subtle, isn't it? I asked for your parents' face and profession…but I did not dare to ask you…"

Saito felt dread climb at the edge of his throat.

"What are their names?"

_**He didn't know.**_

"Can you remember your birthday party? Did you have one? Can you remember any happy memory, any long-lost forlorn moment of time before coming here you'd like to relive? Would you rather return back to when your 'master' bought me and a bunch of stuff, or when your parents bought you something?"

His throat constricted.

"What are the names of your friends? Do you have any? Is there anyone you have a crush on, a girl you like or confessed to? Are there any happy memories you hold of your hometown, easy to bring back to the front of your mind, that come back to haunt you? There's nothing…isn't it?"

Saito shook his head, falling down on his knees. "N-No, I…I remember…"

"What is your mother's face? Not just her eyes or her hair…can you remember her face? Her lineaments? Can you remember her kind words or her warnings? My mother always used to coat me in oil and clean me, do you remember anything similar of caring and loving? Do you remember anything that might make you sad, that might cause you true and unaltered grief?"

"No," Saito meekly whispered. "I don't."

"You are Saito Hiraga, from Tokyo," Derflinger spoke then gravely. "Sasha, my mother…she forgot even the faces of her parents and siblings, and when Brimir ordered the elves killed…at first she obeyed. It was only when she realized who she had killed, only then, did she snap…and that was the day she pierced father's heart with me…for only void can defeat void, and I…I was the only weapon that could absorb father's magic."

The silence that fell between the two lasted a while. Saito's eyes looked down at the grassy ground, at the brownish soil and the small insects that scurried around without a worry in the world. The birds tweeted up in the branches.

"My way home…" Saito whispered then, "Is through this… Shaitan's gate?"

"Void magic brought you here, partner," Derflinger said, "Void magic will bring you back."

"What should I do, Derf?"

"That depends…if you think you can handle the runes, there is no better way to find more about the Void then to stick with the mage that summoned you. However, the closer you are the stronger the runes' effect will be. The further apart, the further they will weaken. If you want to truly think for yourself properly…maybe take a trip very far away?"

"To where?" Saito snorted. "I don't even know what's beyond the academy and Tristania."

"Does it matter?" Derflinger replied. "You have me! Sure, my knowledge is six thousand years old, and heck, even the mountains change in that time but…I can sense Void magic and users when they're very close. We can find our fortune elsewhere. Partner, I am here for you, not for your master. I promised to myself I would never let another suffer through like my parents did."

"What happened to Sasha afterwards?" Saito asked suddenly, "After she killed Brimir, I mean."

Derflinger remained quiet for a long while, to the point that Saito actually stood up and began to walk closer to the sword.

"She killed herself," Derflinger finally answered. "She impaled herself on the same sword she used to kill Brimir."

"B-But that would mean…"

"Partner," Derflinger exclaimed, "How about we talk of something else!?"

Saito's eyes softened up as he gripped tightly on Derflinger's handle. "So…strong emotions?"

"Yep! Love, hatred, happiness…want to know a joke about a wig and a chamberlain? I heard one from a pirate that had me for a while…it went a bit like this…"

"No, there's no need," Saito replied, closing his eyes and gripping tightly on Derflinger.

He breathed in deeply, and then exhaled. He swung Derflinger back, ready for a hit. His mind filled with the frustration for being there. It filled with the quivering moment of complete and utter fear at being cast off his world and into another. It filled with the utter-soul-rending instant of clarity that he was alone, in another world, and that he had to fight against something much bigger than him for even a chance at returning home to his parents.

His hands gripped tightly as he tried to remember and failed, the anger at his memory letting his body spasm as he ground his teeth. The runes on his hand sparked and glowed, shining brightly as he let out a strong roar and sliced through the tree.

He breathed in deeply after that, opening his eyes to the sight of the tree still standing there, without the barest of scratches…yet the sword had gone through it, hadn't…

The tree collapsed.

It fell backwards, its tall form crashing loudly against the ones behind it as the branches snapped and fell down —the birds flew away scared, the noise of the wood breaking deafening Saito for a moment.

He breathed slowly then, moving Derflinger back to its scabbard.

"Just like that, partner," Derflinger said. "Have you decided?"

"If I leave…I'll be free…but it's scary; leaving without a reason, without an objective, without knowledge…" Saito muttered. "If I stay…I'm risking my freedom so...you'll stick with me no matter what, Derf?"

"Indeed partner, indeed!"

Saito exhaled.

"Very well," he grimaced. "I know what we need to do then…"

Derflinger remained quiet.

He had done his job. What had happened in the past…he would never let it happen again.

**Author's notes**

**Staying…leaving…both bring forth troubles. **

**Leaving for the unknown.**

**Staying with the risk of brainwashing.**

**Freedom in fear, or safety in chains…**


	5. Blossoming Acceptance

Enslaved

Chapter Five

Hiraga Saito walked back in the Academy at dusk, his breathing ragged and his skin slick with sweat. He wasn't asked where he went or what he did, but people simply assumed he had done whatever his 'noble master' had wanted him to do.

The truth was, he didn't know. Leaving for the outside would have been a scary idea in Tokyo, but at least he would have had the safety of a phone, the knowledge of the police being able to help no matter the country he went to and the fact that —worse to worse— he could always return by plane.

There was no plane, only a gate. A gate that could activate only when all four Void users awoke and of which he had no idea how hard a trek it would be to reach. He knew the capitals of the important states from his world, like Berlin for Germany or Washington for America…but of Romalia, Germania…Gallia was it? He knew little to nothing.

Was the weather warm or cold? How was he going to get food during the trip? He doubted there were supermarkets. A horse was most definitively needed for the endeavour, and he didn't have one.

He didn't have a lot of things. Sure, he could cleave in half a tree…but how did that translate to automatically having the _means_ to trot around the world?

Saito shuddered as he finished washing off in the servants' assigned baths. The meagre consolation was that servants of the Academy were better off…they had running water.

He headed off towards his master's room —since dinner was soon, and he had to stand behind her for some reason nobody had told him.

"Hey, you," a voice distracted him. "Yes, you," he turned to gaze at a blond haired boy, wearing a frilled shirt and a rose in one of his hands. "Did the cat eat your tongue, commoner?"

"Milord?" he hazarded. The boy took it well, because he puffed his chest out and grinned.

"Indeed, I am Guiche de Gramont, heir of the famous de Gramont line…and you are the Zero's servant, right?"

He frowned. "Milord?" the boy liked that title, so why not stick to it? "I'm afraid I don't…understand."

"Ah, she did not tell you? No doubt she wouldn't," Guiche chuckled. "She is known as the Zero, for you see…she basically fails at any spell she casts. She'd be considered a failure even by nobility's standards, if it weren't that she can cast simple spells like 'lock'."

Saito waited for the boy to make his point, but apparently, _that_ was it. The fact that Louise could not cast 'spells' seemed something of great importance, at least by the way Guiche kept on looking at him for some sort of reaction.

"I…understand, milord."

"Good, well…just so you know, we made a bet you see," Guiche remarked. "How long till the servant of the Zero runs away from her? And I betted twenty-five Ecus you would run away tomorrow," the boy smiled. "Kirche was of the counsel you would run away tonight, and she even betted three hundred ecus on that."

"Ah…I see?"

"You do? That's wonderful!" Guiche brought his hand to clap on Saito's shoulder firmly. "I knew from the first time I saw you 'that is a farmhand who knows when to bow to a noble's will!' so, since the pot will be mine, I'll hand you one hundred ecus tomorrow night, at the gates."

The boy winked. "Don't be late."

He strolled off, leaving a perplexed Saito behind.

People were betting on when he would leave. _Really?_

He bit his tongue. He knew nothing of Louise after all, was it possible she actually had a despicable attitude? Still, he stood in wait outside of her room for dinnertime to happen, and when it did not…he stood in wait.

He could hear the bells ring the half an hour past dinner. Hesitantly, his heart beating in his chest, he knocked at the door.

A red and puffy eyed Louise opened the door. Her hair was in a bedraggled state, her gaze blearily trying to put him into focus for a moment more.

"Oh…right," she mumbled. "Y-You can go for the night, f…servant," she sniffled a moment more.

Saito swallowed, before nodding crisply and turning to leave.

"Hey," her voice was a mere whisper, "C-Can I ask…something?"

He stilled —turning and giving her a perplexed stare. "Y-yes, master?" she looked so _weak_, so _frail_ that in that instant, Saito felt a light wave of anger roll through his entire body against whoever reduced her in such a state.

"Why are you still here?" she mumbled out.

Saito smiled awkwardly. "W-Where else would I go?"

Louise closed the door after that, and so Saito took it as the cue to leave. Dinner was quiet among the servants.

"Ohi, partner," Derflinger said when they were alone, looking up at the sky and its two moons from a corner of the now empty courtyard. "You remember my warning, right?"

"You think…it's that the reason?" Saito mumbled.

"Ah, I can't help you on that partner. If it's the runes that make you believe staying for a crying girl, if it's your heart or what you would do normally…I can't say partner. I know what will happen one day, if all you feel is a lie. I want to avoid that partner, but in the end, it's partner's choice."

"Hey, Derf," Saito muttered. "How is it, to live for thousands of years?"

"Boring," Derflinger chuckled. "Really boring, partner…years go by, decades…centuries…people you grew fond of die, their estranged son sells you, you grow fond of someone again and again you watch them die…you repeat this every thirty or forty years…in the end, you stop caring for the people around you. Did you know the La Vallière were shepherd once? Or that the royal family of Tristania comes from Brimir's fling with a guard of his entourage?"

"No," Saito murmured, "I don't know…"

"Well, I've got heaps of stories…want to hear a few?"

Saito smiled. "I'd like that, partner."

Derflinger talked. The sword spoke in its metallic glint of a tone without care, narrating stories of this or that noble, speaking of the mercenary that wielded him last, of the scrap-seller that nearly melted him, of a young girl who took to carrying the sword around and play tea with…Derflinger spoke.

Saito…listened.

The breeze of the wind picked up, but Saito kept on listening. Story after story, some had a nice ending, others were bittersweet. A few ended sadly; Derf's cherished person died struck by an arrow or sliced by an enemy's sword.

He had heard the tales of knights and sieging castles so common in Europe. Japanese history had its own clashes and captures of castles, covered in hefty doses of honour known as Bushido, or 'The path of the Warrior'. Yet the tales of Derf spoke of betrayals too, of a few battles were the reinforcements didn't arrive in time, or where the allies turned into bitter enemies.

"And then Anjeaux told me 'You see, Derflingerrrr' he never could pronounce the 'r' at the end of my name right, 'We must fight for what is right, even if we have no hope'." Derflinger chuckled grimly, "The poor bastard got filled with crossbow bolts so much he looked like a porcupine when he fell on the ground. I told him to run, but did he listen? Course not. Bah, anyway…that's enough for tonight. If I keep telling you stories we won't be done in six thousand years!"

"Thank you," Saito muttered.

"It's not a problem, partner," Derflinger replied. "I'm here to help you, even if all you need are bedtime stories."

Saito chuckled, his spirit lifted.

The next morning, he found himself watching a strange bundle of leather.

"Here," Louise said, handing it over to him while he had just finished opening the window. Her face was clean and the sign of last night's crying were all gone.

"Master?"

"I said I would give you some spending money if you did a good job," Louise remarked. "I don't go back on my word."

Saito nodded awkwardly. "Thank you for your kindness, master."

"Yes," Louise said, holding her chin high, "I am a very kind master, really," she threw the leather pouch at him, which he hastily grabbed. "Keep it safe, understood? Now, you'll be following me to my lessons starting today —if every other noble can bring their familiar to the lessons, then so can I."

Then her eyes scanned all over him. "Where's your gauntlet?"

"Ah…I couldn't open the doors with it," he replied. "I'm sorry, master. Do you wish I put it back on?"

"No, there's no need," her lips twitched. "It's not like there's anything to be afraid of in class."

Saito followed her, albeit he could swear the girl had added in a lower tone the words 'unless it's me'.

The classroom had rows, behind which wooden chairs all stood gazing in the same direction. There were two blackboards, a large wooden desk, and a plethora of strange animals in the back rows. Saito awkwardly stood behind Louise as she sat, letting his back stand against the cold stone of the wall.

Would this be his life from now on? Receive spending money, stay behind the girl during class, end up sitting down next to a cute-looking cat who came close to get some scratching out of him…he could hear the teacher enter, and then speak with a bubbly voice —having sat down, he had no idea what her appearance was. By the voice, it clearly was a she however.

"Hello class," the voice said. "Today we will deal with an Earth related magic spell, and to be more precise, with Alchemy. Alchemy will allow a mage to change the form, the type or even the very existence of an object into something else of an equal or inferior value proportional to the amount of willpower spent. We can transform rose petals into oil, for example. We can transform rocks into brass or, with a sufficiently skilled Earth mage, in gold. The latter is a criminal activity, punished by the crown with a hefty fine…so do not try it."

The voice took a moment to catch her breath.

"Anyone wants to try and transmute these rocks into something else? Yes, Mademoiselle Zerbst?"

"Can it become anything at all?" the tanned girl asked. "Even jewels?"

"If you have the willpower and the skills to do what no other Square Earth Mage could do, Mademoiselle Zerbst, and then try your hand. There is a reason thieves steal jewels and gold after all."

"Nobody wants to try?"

"Why not let Louise do it? She'll start the year with a bang!" a shrill female voice came next.

"Shut up The Flood!" Louise said heatedly.

"Now, now," the teacher remarked. "Calm down both of you. Mademoiselle de Montmorency, come down here and proceed to change these rocks in something else."

"But my affinity is to water! I am La Fragrance because…"

"Come down now, Mademoiselle. It is unbecoming for a proper lady to make excuses."

Saito carefully stood up once more. He wanted to see this 'magic' happen with his own eyes. Montmorency was a blond curly haired girl, who hesitantly brought her wand near a few loose pebbles while chanting an incantation.

Nearby, a green haired woman with a pair of thin glasses looked on, her gaze carefully taking in the movement of Montmorency's wand.

There was a little flash of light, and then the pebbles…remained unchanged.

"You may sit now, Mademoiselle," the teacher said. She then turned upwards. "Mademoiselle de La Vallière? Could you come down now?"

Louise stiffened as she stood.

She looked at him for a moment, before mouthing out a hurried couple of words 'Get down'. He frowned. Louise took slow steps down towards the teacher's desk, and as she did Derflinger whispered in his metallic voice.

"Partner. Get down. Now. Like…immediately."

Saito blinked, and then kneeled. "What's the matter, Derf?" he whispered.

"Hands to your ears, partner."

"Professor Longueville! Maybe it's not the case to let Louise do it!" this time, Kirche's words filled with fear. "Please! We apologize as a class!"

"Now, what nonsense is this?" the professor 'Longueville' remarked. "If it fails then it fails. Generally, failing a spell of one type means a strong affinity in another element. There is nothing wrong with trying… Come on now, Mademoiselle De la Vallière, try."

"Partner, plug your ears now."

Saito obeyed.

He still heard the explosion. It rocked the very ground as shrapnel of wood and splinters flew everywhere, the windows shattering and dropping sharp pieces of glass to fragment on the floor. He winced, before carefully dusting off the light sheen of dust from the ceiling. The moment he stood back up his eyes widened.

There no longer was a desk at the centre of the room, and the blackboards were nothing more than shattered bits and pieces of charcoal. Louise stood with her wand in hand, biting on her lips and covered in soot and dust.

Nearby, the teacher was unconscious from the blast, her glasses shattered on her face. On the opposite side of Louise, the students of the first rows were holding their hands to their bleeding ears.

"Ah…good old Brimir's Explosion," Derflinger mumbled. "Want to exterminate an army or genocide a race, first spell to use."

Saito shuddered.

"Louise the Zero killed the professor!" a student yelled, "Well done Louise! Really!" it was a fat boy with blond hair and a double chin.

"She's not dead!" Louise exclaimed right back, her voice cracked and her fists clenched. "She's just unconscious!"

"Only Louise the Zero could do this much damage!" Kirche snarled, trying to remove the debris from her crimson hair. "Zero magic for the Zero success mage!"

"T-That's…" Louise sniffled, before running out of the room.

Saito stared at the scene once more, before his feet began to move. He followed the running form of the pink haired girl all the way outside of the tower, and towards the stables. She passed him by on a horse, galloping out of the academy's walls like a fury.

Saito blinked, before clenching his hands in fists and grabbing yet another horse from the stables. The stable boy looked bewildered. "Sorry! Following my master!" he shot back, before waving him goodbye.

He had never been on a running horse. "Clench on to my handle, Partner!" Derflinger shot. "A knight that doesn't know how to ride…how funny would that be?"

"What are you talking about?" Saito shot back, obeying the order.

"Touch any weapon, and their knowledge will flow into you partner…but what is a weapon? Is a fork or a spoon a weapon? I knew a guy who could kill with a spoon. For him, the spoon was a weapon! Horses can smash beneath their hooves people. Doesn't that make them weapons too? The Gandalfr's ability is to be able to use any weapon, but some weapons require something else to work properly. Take a knight's lance. Could you use it without a horse? Yes, but it is built to be used with a horse."

"You're not a knight's lance," Saito ground out, kicking the sides of the horse as its speed increased. The horse neighed loudly, but complied.

"Maybe," Derflinger yelled as the wind began to steal his words. "But I'm an awesome Soul Sword!"

With a sharp turn, Saito passed by Louise's horse and then grabbed its reins, halting the animal on its tracks. The girl didn't scream. She didn't yell at him. She held her gaze low and her hands still on the reins. The skin of her palms was raw from the strength of the grip, her knuckles a milky white.

"I'm pathetic," Louise muttered. "You must be laughing now, right? I'm the laughing stock of the entire academy, even the commoners laugh behind my back."

He remained quiet.

"Why did you stop me? I could have slipped and cracked my head against the ground," Louise muttered. "I could have ended up beneath this animal's hooves. I'm a failure no matter what I try doing. You're probably the only thing I managed to do of noble-like, summoning a familiar…and I had to screw up too. You must hate me, right? Pulled you away from your family, your land…I'd hate whoever would do something like this to me."

Saito didn't know what to say.

"I could say I'm sorry," Louise whispered. "But…I'm actually happy I managed to summon something. I…I expected you to leave when I gave you…the free afternoon. Kirche had the galls of saying she had betted on it. You didn't, so…I'm sorry. I promise if you…if you stay, I'll treat you well. You'll never want for anything and I'll forgive any blunder or mistake but…" she swallowed thickly. "I…I really could use someone on my side."

What could he say? He…He had planned to leave at the end of the week.

He had planned to find out as much as possible —the academy was a school after all— and then leave. He…what could he do? _What could he do?_

"My home lies to the East, beyond the elven lands," Saito said. "I…I can't promise I'll remain forever. I want to go home, but…"

The runes on his left hand glittered, as Saito's words died in his mouth.

"But…" he continued, forcing them out, "Until I find a way…I'll stay."

"Rub Al'khali," Louise blinked, her gaze now settling on his face. "_**You're from Rub Al'khali?**_" she asked with an incredulous face. "I summoned you from Rub Al'khali," Louise numbly shook her head. "I'm…" she chuckled then, "By Brimir, I'm great at failures. The only familiar I had to summon is the one I can't send back. Beyond the elven lands…how the hell are you going to go back home?" she giggled then, shaking her head.

"Ah…" she exhaled. "Well…no amount of sorry will work if that's how far you have to go…" she looked up to the sky. "I don't want to go back to the academy today."

Saito raised an eyebrow.

"Where would you like to go, master?"

"Louise," the girl said suddenly. "When we're alone…you can call me Louise, Eeraga."

"Saito," the boy replied then. "My name is Hiraga Saito."

"Saito," Louise rolled the name on her tongue for a moment. "Are all names that strange in Rub?"

"Ah…yes," there was no need to say anything more. He didn't consider it important anyway.

Well…he still wanted to go back home. However, if along the road he had company…it wasn't going to be a problem.

Derflinger remained quiet.

He exhaled once, as the horses began to trot towards Tristania. He still hoped, against everything, that it would not end in blood and tears.

He would follow partner's wish on it.

He just hoped, once more, that it wouldn't be a mistake.

**Author's notes**

…

**Damn. I made Louise **_**likeable**_**.**

**Damn. How can I make him leave when Louise is **_**likeable**_**? (I'm looking at you, Muse.)**

**Once more, my plans are foiled by my dastardly muse…I'll have a word with her eventually.**

**Still…hey, no drama, no angst…pretty nice chapter. **


End file.
